The laws that govern the safety of workers and safe operations in shops or sites are called 'Occupational Health and Safety' laws. You may also refer to general guidelines collectively known as 'Workplace Health and Safety'.

In Canada, there are several government agencies that work collaboratively to create health and safety guidelines for workplaces:

• Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), and...
• Health Canada

The government also has an online portal that lists the Canadian Occupational Health and Safety laws as they are laid out in the Canada Labour Code Act. This portal can be found through the Justice Laws Website under the title - Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (SOR/86-304).

What do contractors and renovators need to know about Health and Safety laws?

• Companies, managers and workers are legally responsible for following health and safety regulations in their region, including personal safety, operation of machinery, hazard mitigation and general safety practices in shops or on sites.
  
• Failure to adhere to occupational health and safety laws may result in heavy fines or jail time.
  
• A written safety plan and written plan for emergencies is a must for every construction and renovation company, no matter the size of the workforce.
  
• The safety rules and procedures at a workplace must be enforced, repeated often and commonly understood by all workers. A weekly safety meeting that is logged and filed is a good way to ensure that safety is top of mind.
  

Safety Meeting starters?

• Are there site hazards you and your team need to be aware of?
• Do you have safety fencing, railing or signage that needs to be installed?
• Is there new equipment that workers need training on?
• Any chemicals on the job that need special storage and handling?
• How should workers stay safe around heavy equipment and powerful machines?

KEEP YOURSELF AND YOUR WORKERS SAFE AT ALL TIMES!